American Academy of Ophthalmology
| Abbreviation | AAO |
|---|---|
| Formation |
1896 (AAOO) 1979 (AAO) |
| Type | Professional association |
| Headquarters |
655 Beach Street San Francisco, California |
| Coordinates | 37°48′24″N 122°25′12″W / 37.806675°N 122.419992°W |
| Website |
www |
The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) is a professional medical association of ophthalmologists. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and its membership includes more than 90 percent of practicing ophthalmologists in the United States as well as over 7,000 members abroad.[1]
The AAO's stated mission is "to advance the lifelong learning and professional interests of ophthalmologists ... to ensure that the public can obtain the best possible eye care".[1]
History
The academy has its origins in the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology (AAOO), founded in 1896 as a medical association of both ophthalmologists and otolaryngologists. The AAO was founded when the AAOO split in 1979 and divided into separate academies for each specialty. Like most medical associations, the AAO collects dues, provides continuing education and seminars for its members, including its four-day annual meeting. Outside the medical community it promotes public health information. Also, like most other medical associations, the AAO takes public policy stances on issues through lobbying (carried out by its Washington, D.C.-based Governmental Affairs Division).
In 2010, the AAO sponsored the creation of EyeWiki, a wiki-model Internet encyclopedia of ophthalmology that is written and edited by ophthalmologists and "ophthalmologists-in-training".[2]
In 2014, Dr. Connie McCaa became the first American woman and the first Mississippi doctor inducted into the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Hall of Fame.[3]
References
- 1 2 "About the Academy". American Academy of Ophthalmology. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
- ↑ "American Academy of Ophthalmology Launches EyeWiki" (Press release). American Academy of Ophthalmology. July 7, 2010. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
- ↑ "Jackson eye doctor first woman in national Hall of Fame". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved November 6, 2014.